The present invention relates to interactive computer modelling of real-world structures and particularly to the deformation of modeled objects in response to forces exerted by an operator.
Virtual reality involves the idea of immersing an operator in a world of computer generated dynamically changing images, and allowing the operator to actively modify this virtual environment.
Virtual reality systems have been built that provide operator inputs to the computer created environment by various position sensors. These sensors may be position sensors such as mechanical linkages or optical trackers that determine the location of all or part of the operator's body. In response to these sensors, the computer generated image is manipulated.
These virtual reality systems provide interaction only with the spatial aspect of object orientation in the visual field. Virtual objects move and/or the operator "moves" within the virtual space. Distances, locations and perspectives change according to the operator's inputs.
These systems provide no interaction with the material properties of the objects in the virtual space. For example, the squeezing of objects, a basic tool for exploring physical properties of an object, is not available for virtual objects.